The vice-president and secretary of state for Women's Affairs, Aja Isatou Njie-Saidy, will leave Banjul for Taipei today to grace the inauguration of the newly elected President, Ma Ying-jeou and his vice-president, on behalf of President Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh. The inauguration is scheduled for May 20.

Dr Aja Isatou Njie-Saidy would be accompanied to the Asian-Pacific island state of Taiwan by Dr Omar Touray, the secretary of state for Foreign Affairs, the permanent-secretary at the Office of the President and the protocol at the Office of the Vice-President, according to reports from the Taiwanese Embassy in Banjul.

The eight-member Gambian delegation is among more than 530 foreign dignitaries and guests confirmed to attend the inauguration ceremony. This is a new record for a presidential inauguration in Taiwan.

"There are over 530 foreign guests, including special envoys from 22 out of 23 diplomatic allies, to attend the inauguration ceremony," MOFA spokeswoman Phoebe Yeh said at a press briefing, according to reports monitored by the Daily Observer.

Record numbers of gold and silver coins have been issued to commemorate the May 20 inauguration of 12th President-elect, the Central Bank of the Republic of China said Monday. According to bank officials, in response to the public's enthusiastic inquiries, the central bank has issued a historical number of 50,000 gold and 100,000 silver coins to mark the occasion.

The vice-president and her delegation are expected home after about a week in Taipei.